Casting apparatus.



. J. KRALUND.

CASTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-10.19l5.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1. KRALUND.

.CASTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION H151) SEPT. I0. 1915.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.moltenmetaland that said meltin .ronn nn'annnn, or nnoonnrn, new roan, nssrenon ro nonnnnn nrn oas'rrne COMPANY. n conronn'rron or new roan.

CASTING APPARATUS.

nearest.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented net, as, rare.

To all whom it may concern: v

Beit known that 1, JOHN KRALUND, a citizen'of the United States, residing at the borough of Brooklyn, in the city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casting Apparatus, of

which the following" is aspecification, ref 1.

use in the pressure chamber but is also used in removing the melting pots or crucibles erence being had thereinto the accompanyin drawings, which form a part thereof.

y invention relates to casting apparatus and more particularly to improvents in the type of pressure die casting. apparatus described in Letters Patent No. 973,483 of October 25, 1910, to adapt'said apparatus to the practiceof the method or art-invented by TL HJDoehler, application for? Letters Patent upon which is filed simultaneously herewith. a

The practice of said-method or art re-' quires that the molten metal be poured into in which the metal to be poured is subjected to a temperature of substantially that of the fusing of the metal to be cast and that the metal be poured from within an inclosed chamber into which aii' or other fluid under high pressure is admitted to complete the casting operation. In this type of apparatus, it is essential that the chamber from which the metal is poured, be'capable of being opened to admit the insertion or removal of the melting pot oncrucible containing the ro o crucible be rotatably mounted wit in said chamber to permit its being overturned to pour the metal therefrom.

The economical practice of said method or art requires the employment of a large number of melting pots or crucibles, all of which are simultaneously subjected to the desired temperature, and that these melting ots or crucibles be transferred meet a time from the furnace to the pressure chamher. The fact that the said chamber is opened to admit the melting pot or crucible requires the operator to hold the melting pot or crucible in position .inthe chamber during the closing thereof.

By my present invention, I provide an'ap- I paratus wherein the rotatable support for the melting pot or crucible is adapted ,to be successively used With a plurality of melting pots or crucibles, thus facilitatin the'operationof the apparatus and rov-i ing an operative handle common to a l of the melting pots or crucibles, and one, the temperature of which will remain such as not to interfere 1 with the convenient handling of such meltmg ots or crucibles. l ie'said support is not only adapted for while the chamber is being closed.

Inasmuch as the mblting pot or crucible after being overturned is subjected to high,

pressure while within the said pressure chamber, I so construct it and its support that pressure applied to the bottomofsaid melting pot or crucible will be transmitted to and sustained by the support, in a manher to prevent the crucible being forced from said container.

The invention consists primarily ina cast ing apparatus embodying thereln a sectional mold, a head 'formin a pressure. chamber surmounting said mo (1 and adapted to be opened, means forming a constricted passageway between said pressure chamber and the interior of said mold whereby the molten metal will tend to flow by grav1ty from said chamber to said mold, a melting pot or cru-- cible a support therefor comprising an operating handle, jaws pivotally mounted thereinadapted to encircle and to det achably engage said melting pot or cruc ble and means whereby saidjaws maybe opened, the

' walls of said chamber having therein a bearing adapted to" receive said support, and means. whereby an elastic fluid under pres sure may be introduced to said chamber to sustain said support within said chamber follow up the metal through said passage- 7 way and force the metal into the mold; and

in such other novel features of constructionand combination ofparts as are hereinafter lfset forth and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 i a side'el rati n' partlyin veecal section of a casting apparatus embodying my invention, the melting pot or crucible being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with the pressure chamber opened;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the melting pot or crucible and its support, the jaws of the support being opened and portions of the support-being broken away; and

Fig. 4 1s a side view of the melting pot or crucible and a portion of its support.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, two parts a-b of a sectional mold supported upon guide rods cc' are shown, said sections being adapted to be separated in any desired manner, as by the lever mechanism 03 operative upon one of said sections. The said sections a--b each has therein, a portion of the open'ingmto which the metalis to be forced, an ingate' opening ab' being provided in the face of sa d sections a'b respectively and extending substant ally vertically. Surmounting and carried by the sections ab respectively are the two parts e--f of a head, forming, when the parts ef areclcsed, a pressure chamber. Opening into one of saidsections e is a pipe 9 through which air under pressure is delivered to said chamber, This pipe g is controlled by avalve 9' of the usual construction, to permit the venting of the chamber after the casting has been made. The action of the lever mechanism d in holding the two parts of the mold and head together is supplemented by a clamp h which is set after the parts are brought together. At 2' I have shown an ejector mechanism by means of which the casting is drawn or forced from the mold.

The ingate (L -Pb is enlarged adjacent the pressure chamber so as to form a sub-chamber into which the metal is poured before flo ing into the ingate.

The rods oc are so supported as to be capable of being moved to incline the mold from the vertical if desired, as by means of the pivotal supports j for one of the mold sec ons as b and the vertically adjustable standard lc'carrying the end of said rods. This construction, however, is not essential to the invention in an apparatus of this character. although it is desirable as adaptirg the device for the making of castings wherein it is not desirable to have the ingate extend vertically.

The cha ber ef has a bearing Z in the wall thereof.

The structure heretofore described is that described insthe' Letters Patent. above re-' ferred to and I make no claim of invention thereto. my invention relating more particularlv to the combination with this structure of the specific mechanism by means of Which referred to it is impracticable to melt the metal in a ladle of the character shown in the aforesaid Letters Patent. and my invention relates to" those modifications in the apparatus by which the metal may, be brought to the desired temperature in a meltin pot or crucible of a size adapted to ho d a singlecharge for the apparatus and be conveniently removed from the furnace to the pressure chamber so as to permit it to be poured directly from the melting pot or crucible in which it is conditioned, .into the mold.

In the.accompanying drawings I have shown at m a small melting pot or crucible and at n a handle therefor which is adapted to bedetachably connected therewith. This handle has pivotally connected therewith, oppositely disposed jaws n'n adapted to conform to, and engage the outside of said melting pot or crucible. Each of these jaws nn is provided with a short heel as n n pivotally connected together and with a push rod 11 slidable in a longitudinal bore in the handle 91, suitable lost motion being provided in one or both of said heels. Said rod is provided with an enwith a normal tendency to close the jaws n"n is a spring n seated in a socket in said handle.

The handle a is provided with an enlarged portion 42 adapted to extend across and act as a seal for the bearing Z in the wall ofthe pressure chamber in a manner to prevent leakage at this point.

-When the melting pot or crucible is overturned, it acts more or less-as a shield between the discharge end of the pipe 9 and the ingate to the mold, to prevent splashing of the metal by reason of the impingement of. the air jet directly thereagalnst. The force of this jet is sufiiciently great to preclude the possibility of the jaws n'n=' holding the melting pot or crucible solely by friction. To prevent the melting pot being forced by the air jet from the said jaws, I provide the said melting pot or crucible with a shoulder 0, preferably an annular rib adapted to be engaged by the jaws n'--n To guard against a possible dropping'of the melting pot or crucible, I also provide a shoulder p, also preferably an annular rib, parallel with and spaced away from the panacea shoulder 0 a suflicient distance to permit or annular ribs.

To facilitate the handling of the melting pot orcrucible, when placing it within the pressure chamber, 1 provide the insidewall at one side 0 the chamber with a stirrup 9 wall adjacent the bearing 1 with a second stirrup 9" adapted to receive the handle at.

The operation of the herein described ap= paratus is substantially as follows When a die has been properly set with' its ingate communicating with the pressure chamber, a plurality of melting pots we, each containing metal of the desired bulk are placed in a furnace and subjected to a temperature approximating'that of the fusing pointof the metal contained in the melting pot or crucible, for a suflicient time to reduce the metal to a molten condition. The two parts e/" forming the pressure chamher having been separated, the jaws nn of the support for the melting pot or crucible are opened by pressing the rod n inwardly against the tension of the spring n".

The jaws 'n'n while opened, are then inserted within the furnace in a position so that, as they close, they will encircle a meltmg pot or crucible and engage same between the shoulders or ribs 0p thereon. The

melting pot orcrucible thus engaged is then transferred to the pressure chamber, the handle a being inserted in the bearing Z with the enlarged portion n 'adjacent said hearor die have been properly closed, the handle n is rotated overturning the melting pot or crucible m, pouring the metal contained there'n into the bottom of the pressure cha ber whereit will be collected and concentrated in the sub-chamber and flow by gravity toward the mold or die through the ingate to the mold or die. Immediately after overturning the melting pot or crucible air is admitted to the pressure chamber by the opening of the valve thus accelerating the flow of the, metal into the mold and compacting and compressing it therein.

When the melting pot or crucible is overturned and the air is admitted to the pressure chamber, the bottom or side wall of said melting pot or crucible will be presented toward the air inlet and thus act as a shleld to prevent a fluid jet impinging till.

upon the molten metal in the bottom of saidpressure chamber. As air or other fluid at high pressure is used, there would be a tendency of a fluid jet' directed against the said melting pot or crucible, to force it from between the jaws n n were it not for the shoulders or ribs 0 between which the adapted to-r ceive a trunnlon g carried by, one of the jaws as n and provide the outer Having described the invention, what I" claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is 1. A cast-ing apparatus embodying therein a sectional mold, a head. forming a pressure chamber surmounting said mold and adapted to be opened, means forming a constrictedpassageway between sa1d pressure chamber and the interior of said mold whereby the molten metal will tend to flow by gravity from said chamber to sa1d mold, a melting pot or crucible, a support therefor comprising an operating handle, jaws mounted thereon adapted to encircle and to detachably engage said melting pot or crucible and means whereby said jaws may be opened and closed, the wall of said chamber having therein a bearing adapted to receive said support, and means whereby an elastic fluid under pressure may be admitted to said chamber to follow up the metal through said passageway and force the metal into, and

compress it in, the mold.

2. A casting apparatus embodying therein a sectional mold, a head forming a pressure chamber surmounting said mold and adapted tobe opened, means forming a constricted passageway between said pressure chamber and the interior of said mold whereby the molten metal will tend to flo'vv by, gravity from-said chamber to said mold, a melting pot or crucible, a support therefor comprising an operating handle, ---jaws pivotally mounted thereon ada'pted to encircle and to detachably engage said melting pot or crucible and means whereby said *jaws may be opened and closed, the wall of saidchamber having therein a bearing adapted to receive said support, and means whereby an elastic fluid under pressure may be admitted to said chamber to follow up the metal through maid passageway and force the metal into, and compress it in, the mold.

3. Acasting apparatus embodying therein a sectional mold, a head forming a pres- 7 maticallyclosed, ,the wall of said chamber having therein a bearing adapted to receive said support, and means whereby an elastic fluid under pressure may be admitted to said chamber to follow up the metal through said passageway and force the metal into, and compress it in, the mold;

4;. A casting apparatus embodying therein a sectional mold, a head forming a pressure chambersurmounting said mold and adapted to be opened, means forming a constricted passageway between said pressure chamber and .the interior of saidmold whereby the molten metal will tend to flow by gravity from said chamber to said mold, almelting pot or crucible, a support therefor comprising an operating handle, jaws 'pivotally mounted ghereon adapted to encircle and to detac ably engage said melting pot or crucible, each of said jaws being provided with a short arm or heel, a rod slidably mounted in-said handle and pivotallyconnected with each of'said arms or heels, lost motion being provided to permit the oscillation of said arms or heels, and a spring acting between said handle and said rod whereby said jaws will be automatically closed, the'wall of said chamber having therein a bearing adaptedto receive said support, and means whereby an elastic fluid under pressure may be admitted to said chamber to follow up the metal through said passageway and force the metal into, and

compress it in, the mold. I

- 5. A casting apparatus embodying theresure chamber surmounting said mold and adapted to be opened, means forminga 'constricted passageway between saidpressure chamber and the interior of said mold'where-' by the molten metal will tend to flow by gravity from said chamber to said mold, a melting pot or crucible, a support therefor comprising an operating handle, jaws mounted thereon adapted to encircle and to detachably engage said melting'pot crucible, a trunnion carried by the end'of said aws and means whereby said jaws may-beopened and closed, the wall of said chamber having therein a bearing adapted to receive said support, a stirrup within said chamber ,adapted to receive ,said tmmnion, and

means whereby an elastic fluid under pressure may be admitted to said chamber to follow up the metal through said passageway and force the metal into and compress it in, the mold.

6. A casting a paratus embodying therein a sectional mo (1, a head forming a pressure chamber surmounting said mold and adapted to be opened, means forming a constricted passageway between said pressure chamber and the interior of said mold whereby the molten metal will tend to flow by gravity from said chamber to said mold, a melting pot or crucible, a support therefor comprising an operating handle, jaws mounted thereon adapted to encircle and to detachably engage said melting pot or crucible, a trunnion carried by the end of said jaws and means whereby said jaws may be opened and closed, the wall of said chamber having thereon a bearing adapted to receive said support, a stirrup within said chamber adapted to receive said trunnion and a second stirrup adjacent said bearing adapted to receive said handle and guide it and support it in said bearing while the moldis open and means whereby an elastic fluid under pressure may be admitted to said chamber to follow up the metal through said passageway and force the metal into, and

compress it in, the mold.

chamber and the interior of said mold whereby molten metal will tend to flow by gravity from said chamber to said mold, a melting pot or crucible having a shoulder thereon presented toward the top thereof, a support therefor comprising an operating handle, jaws mounted thereon'adapted to encircle and detachably engage said melting pot or crucible above said shoulder, and means whereby said jaws may be opened and closed, the wall of said chamber having'therein a bearing adapted to receive said support, and means whereby an elastic fluid under pressure may be admitted to said chamber' to follow up the metal through said passagewayand force the metal into, and compress it in, the mold.

8. A casting apparatus embodying therein a. sectional mold, a head forming a pressure chamber surmounting said mold and adapt- ,ed to be opened, means forming a constricted passageway between said pressure chamber and the interior of said mold whereby molten metal will tend to flow by gravity from said chamber to said mold, a melting pot or crucible having oppositely disposed shoulders and spaced apart, a support there- '.for comprising an operating handle, jaws [mounted thereon adapted to encircle and detachably engage saidl melting pot or crn- In Witness whereof I have hereunto edl cilole between said shoulders, and ineana my signature in the presence of two subwhereby said jaws may be opened and scribing witnesses this 1st day of Septemclosed, the wall of" said. chamber having her, 1915.

5 therein a bearing adapted to receive saiol 7 support, and means whereby an elastic flufl JQHN KRALl under pressure may be admitted to saidl chamber to follow up the metal through said Witnesses: passageway andl. force the metal into, anal F. T. WENTWORTH,

10 compress it in, the mold, A. S. HUNKELE. 

